How to get rid of scorpions in San Diego County
Scorpions are a regular sight in San Diego's drier inland and East County neighborhoods, especially on properties with rock walls, wood piles, or landscaping close to open ground. They hunt at night and hide in cool, dark gaps during the day, which is why most sightings happen after dark or when moving something outdoors.
What you're dealing with
California's most common scorpion, sometimes called the stripe-tailed scorpion, is the species San Diego homeowners run into most, with occasional bark scorpions turning up in rockier East County and Backcountry terrain.
How to get rid of scorpions: step by step
- Clear rock piles and wood stacks away from the houseScorpions hide under rocks, logs, and stacked firewood during the day. Moving these piles at least a few feet from the foundation removes their closest cover.
- Seal gaps around doors, windows, and utility linesScorpions flatten their bodies to slip through gaps as thin as a credit card, so weatherstripping and caulking around entry points matters more than with most pests.
- Check shoes, towels, and bedding before useScorpions seek out dark, enclosed spaces, including shoes left outside or towels on the ground, especially in warmer months.
- Use a UV flashlight to check the yard at nightScorpions glow bright blue-green under UV light, making a nighttime yard check the fastest way to confirm how many are actually present.
- Reduce outdoor lighting that attracts their preyPorch lights draw the insects scorpions feed on, so switching to insect-reducing bulbs or motion lighting cuts down on their food supply near entry points.
When to call a pro
Repeated indoor scorpion sightings, especially in a home with kids or pets, usually mean a perimeter breach worth a professional look rather than more sealing on your own. General pest control at Pest Pros San Diego includes a scorpion-focused perimeter treatment for East County and Backcountry properties where they are most common.
Check general pest cost, or read the signs of scorpions first.
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Common questions
Are the scorpions in San Diego County dangerous?
San Diego's common scorpion species delivers a painful sting similar to a bee, but it is not considered medically dangerous for most healthy adults. Watch children and pets more closely, and seek medical care for a severe reaction.
Why do I see more scorpions after it rains?
A rare heavy rain can flood the burrows and cracks scorpions normally hide in, pushing them toward drier, elevated ground, including a house foundation.
Do scorpions in San Diego actually glow under black light?
Yes. Their exoskeleton fluoresces bright blue-green under UV light, which is why a nighttime flashlight check is the fastest way to see how many are on a property.
Want scorpions gone for good?
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